Seafood Table

ABSTRACT

A table and system for serving searfood and cleaning up afterwards. One purpose of the following invention and its embodiments is to be able to toss the refuse of the crawfish and crab shells right into the center of the table that will have a trash can under it. The top of the table may be made of bubbled/stippled aluminum for easy draining of the excess liquid from the seafood. At the center of the table is a removable strainer. The center of the table may slant down toward the center so that liquids can drain. There may be holes in the table to hook strainer into. Ridges are put on both sides of the hinges so the liquids doesn&#39;t drain through the cracks in the table except through the center of the table over a trashcan or other receiver.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an improved table for serving seafood and managing waste created therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to at least one aspect of the invention, a seafood eating surface is described that promotes order and cleanliness. A plurality of surfaces are arranged together around a central opening to provide eating areas. Legs are provide on the table(s) to support the eating surfaces at the proper level. A strainer or screen in the middle of the table prevents food from being prematurely pushed through the hole into the trash, while allowing fluids generated from the steamed seafood or the like to flow off the table. Ridges, gutters and/or walls may be provided to direct flow to the central opening. After the meal is complete, the screen is removed to allow the food waste to be pushed through the opening into a trash receptacle beneath the table.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of one aspect of the invention to provide an eating surface for eating seafood or other fluid-generating meals.

It is another object of one aspect of the invention object to provide a table having a central opening and strainer for selectively allowing the passage of waste through the opening to an area beneath the opening.

It is a further object of one aspect of the invention to provide walls, slanting surfaces and gutters to direct fluids away from the users and towards the central opening.

Still another object of one aspect of the invention is to provide a eating system that is deployable in place to provide an orderly eating area for seafood.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is environmental perspective of the seafood serving system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an environmental perspective of the seafood serving system according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an upper plan view of the table according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an upper plan view of the table according to the second embodiment with the strainer removed.

FIG. 5 is an upper plan view of the strainer according to the second embodiment.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

One purpose of the following invention and its embodiments is to be able to toss the refuse of the crawfish and crab shells right into the center of the table that will have a trash can under it. The top of the table may be made of bubbled/stippled aluminum for easy draining of the excess liquid from the seafood.

The table may have hinges so it can fold and be carried. It also has handles. There are eight (8) legs that fold under the table. In the center of the table may be holes around the center for the strainer barrier. The barrier is for holding back the seafood once it is put on the table.

At the center of the table is a removable strainer. The center of the table may slant down toward the center so that liquids can drain. There may be holes 126 in the table to hook strainer into. The table may be made of aluminum; the top will have the bubble (“stippled”) aluminum for easy drainage. Ridges may be put on both sides of the hinges so the liquids doesn't drain through the cracks in the table except through the center of the table over a trashcan or other receiver.

There are preferably four (4) handles for carrying the table.

The table will have an aluminum top with the bubble effect for easy cleaning. The center will slant going down so water can drain into the garbage can underneath the center. Holes will be made around center for straining.

There will preferably be four (4) legs to each side for the table that will fold under table. There will be a handle on each end.

Referring to the drawings, a table 19 comprises an upper surface 12 supported by a plurality of legs 18, with four such legs shown. These legs may be fixed or may fold in a known way, such as is used on a card table. Near the center of the table is an opening 20 for allowing waste from the table to be discarded without removing the materials from the side of the table. This assists in keeping the patrons clean.

In the opening may be located a strainer 22. A refuse container 26 can be located directly below the strainer to catch fluids or other materials deposited through the opening. The strainer may extend in a semispherical basket to keep desired materials from be thrown away unintentionally, while allowing fluids to strain through the opening. The strainer basket can then be periodically removed and shaken over the now empty hole in the table to throw away refuse trapped by the strainer. A number of holes or pins 28 may be located on the strainer with mating pins or holes located on the table to help centrally locate the strainer over the hole. One skilled in the art would recognize that the hole could be of any desired shape or multiple holes could be provided.

The upper surface 12 of the table may be tilted towards the opening (away from the ends and/or sides) to assist fluids in traveling towards the opening 20. Hinges (not shown) may be provide along the edges of the table near the opening to allow the table to be folded. The strainer may also be hinged or manufactured in mating parts so that the strainer can fold with the table.

A raised lip 16 may provided on the upper surface near the hinge to channel fluids towards the opening and to prevent the fluids from leaking through the gap in the table where the table is hinged. A raised side wall 14 may be provided on the sides and/or on the ends to help direct fluid towards the center and to keep the patrons from having fluid or materials escape the table to where the patrons are located around the table.

In a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, two separate tables may be combined to form one unit. FIG. 2 shows the seafood table 110 assembled. Two folding tables 112, 114 are provided to form sides of the seafood table 110. Each folding table 112, 114 may be folded along a line 118 for convenience, though folding is not a requirement of the invention. Legs 120 provided on each folding table support the table surface and maintain the surface at the proper height. The tables may be secured by a number of means including cooperating magnets 124 that attract each other or attract metallic edges of the table to help secure the tables together. Other tabs, hooks, latches, and other means may be used in place of or in addition to the magnets.

A hole 130 provided at the center of the table allows for fluids and solid waste to be deposited into a proper container or otherwise be removed for the table. A filter or screen 140 may be provided around the rim of the hole to prevent food or other materials from accidently leaving the table surface. The filter may have a height sufficient to interrupt the travel of materials from sliding past the filter into the hole 130. The filter may include perforations 142 (FIG. 5) for allowing fluids to flow more easily through the hole 130. The filter may interlock with the individual tables through holes or depressions 126 (FIG. 4) on the table interacting with respective tabs extending below the filter 140.

The tables together may form a gutter that assists fluids in traveling to the hole without allowing fluids to flow through the longitudinal edge between the tables by having raised edges at the edge of the joined tables forcing fluids towards the center instead of through the gap between the tables. Handles 150 (FIG. 3) may be provided to lift or more the table or individual folding tables. The table may be slanted towards the hole to help fluids travel towards the center. Raised edges around the boarder of the table may be provided to prevent fluids from dripping on the seated participants.

When a meal is complete, the strainer 140 may be removed and the remaining refuse from the meal may be pushed directly towards the hole in the center for clean up. With the strainer in place, the users must lift the materials over the raised strainer to toss the materials through the hole provided within the boundaries of the strainer. The strainer also prevents valuable seafood from prematurely falling through the center opening into the refuse collector.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A table comprising: an upper surface and a plurality of table legs supporting said upper surface; said upper surface being formed of two, opposed substantially planar sheets of material hingedly connected together and defining a gap therealong; a central opening defined in said upper surface; a strainer placed over said central opening to screen objects above said opening; a gutter formed in each of said two opposed substantially planar sheets of material to prevent fluid from passing over said planar sheets through said gap outside of said central opening.
 2. The table according to claim 1, said two substantially planar sheets include magnets arranged to attract corresponding magnets on the opposite planar sheets to help properly align the two substantially planar sheets relative to each other.
 3. The table according to claim 1, wherein said strainer includes two separate halves with one half mounted to a first of said two substantially planar sheets and a second half mounted to a second of said two substantially planar sheets.
 4. The table according to claim 1, wherein said table includes a plurality of hole arranged to receive corresponding tabs on said strainer to locate said strainer on said table.
 5. A seafood service system comprising: a first table having an upper surface and a plurality of table legs supporting said upper surface; a second table having an upper surface and a plurality of table legs supporting said upper surface; said first and second table attached together along an elongated edge of each table to form an food service area and defining a gap therebetween; a central opening defined in said food service area between said two tables; a strainer placed over said central opening to screen objects above said opening; a gutter formed in each of said two opposed tables to prevent fluid from passing over tables through said gap outside of said central opening.
 6. The seafood system according to claim 5, said two tables include magnets arranged therealong to attract corresponding magnets on the opposite table to help properly align the two tables relative to each other.
 7. The seafood system according to claim 5, wherein said strainer includes two separate halves with one half mounted to the first table and a second half mounted to the second table.
 8. The seafood system according to claim 5, wherein said tables each includes a plurality of hole arranged to receive corresponding tabs on said strainer to locate said strainer on said table.
 9. The seafood system according to claim 5, wherein each table includes a pair of slanted surfaces slanting towards each other to promote fluids on each said table to flow towards the centerline of the table in line with the strainer.
 9. The seafood system according to claim 5, wherein at least one table surface is stippled. 